After a long wait, accompanied by much speculation and a final dramatic turn, the official equestrian sports venue for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games (LA28) was finally announced by the International Olympic Committee and LA28 Organizing Committee today. Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif., will be the site of Olympic equestrian action for all three sports (dressage, eventing and show jumping), and likely also for the para-dressage during the 2028 Paralympics. The LA28 Olympic Games are slated for July 14-30, 2028, followed by the Paralympic Games August 15 to August 27, 2028.

Arcadia is located in Los Angeles County about 13 miles (21 km) northeast of downtown Los Angeles in the San Gabriel Valley and at the base of the San Gabriel Mountains. Santa Anita Park, a prestigious Thoroughbred racetrack, also hosted equestrian sports during the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games.  

“Santa Anita Park will be a spectacular venue for the LA28 Olympic equestrian events,” said Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) President Ingmar De Vos. “The FEI has very fond memories of Santa Anita, which had hosted the equestrian events at the 1984 Olympic Games. The venue is set to offer a breathtaking stage for all the Olympic equestrian competitions and the proximity to LA City will undoubtedly attract many spectators to Santa Anita. We look forward to continuing our cooperation with LA28 to deliver spectacular equestrian events at the 2028 Games in Los Angeles.”

The Santa Anita property covers 320 acres (about 129.5 hectares) and already has grandstands that can hold 26,000 people, in addition to a park-like infield which can accommodate approximately 50,000 more. Sixty-one existing barns at the facility can house up to 2,000 horses, far more than needed for the Olympics and Paralympics.  

Unlike 1984, when the eventing cross-country was held off site on a then-brand-new golf course, for LA28 the cross-country course is planned to be staged on ground surrounding the racetrack. This will necessitate the construction of a new cross-country track.  

The announcement of the selection of Santa Anita came to big surprise to the owners of Galway Downs (Temecula, Calif.), and local and state officials who supported Galway Downs, as the previously nominated and expected venue for LA28 equestrian sports. As recently as March 28, the Los Angeles City Council had voted to accept Galway Downs as the venue.  

Two weeks later, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the LA28 Organizing Committee announced the selection of Santa Anita instead. They notified Galway Downs representatives on April 11 that they were no longer in consideration as an Olympic venue before announcing the new venue selection on April 15. 

Galway Downs owner Ken Smith issued this statement after being notified, “We are extremely surprised that we were suddenly removed from consideration. We don’t understand how, based on the March 28 City Council’s vote of approval, that this could happen. When we started this process more than four years ago, we understood the equestrian venue selection for LA28 would be a highly competitive, evolving process. Being selected as the proposed equestrian venue put Galway Downs and Temecula Valley on the world stage. We’re very proud of that, and we’re just getting started. Galway Downs will continue to host elite national and international competitions as well as additional sporting events.” 

When the 2028 Olympics were awarded to Los Angeles, the first venue for equestrian sports put forward was Sepulveda Basin Recreation Area, but that would have required an entirely new equestrian sports facility be built. In June 2024, plans to use Sepulveda for LA28 equestrian sports were abandoned in favor of Galway Downs. A few other facilities were also considered briefly.  

The LA28 equestrian venue will have big shoes to fill after the splendor of the Palace of Versailles as a backdrop for the 2024 Paris Olympics equestrian sports. But, Santa Anita has sunshine, palm trees and the eye-catching San Gabriel Mountains as scenery, as well as a long history of legendary racehorses like Seabiscuit and Zenyatta—plus Hollywood movie stars attending races and investing in the track. It certainly fits the bill for iconic horse sports in the land of stars.

More Information on the LA28 Olympics

◆ LA 2028 Official Site 

◆ Ticket Information

◆ FEI Olympic Games Page

◆ IOC LA 2028 Page

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Dates for the LA28 Olympic Games are July 14-30, 2028. The total quota of equestrian athletes for LA28 remains the same as for the Paris Olympic Games last year, 200 (75 for jumping, 65 for eventing and 60 for dressage). For countries who qualify to send teams, each of the three sports will have three athletes per team. And beyond that, some other countries will earn the right to send individual athletes.

FEI President Ingmar De Vos welcomed the announcement, citing the success of the equestrian events at the Paris 2024 Games. “We are extremely pleased with today’s IOC decision. The Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games were a historic success for equestrian sport, which proved very popular with the live crowds and TV and online viewers worldwide. It’s great news that our numbers remain unchanged, and we are looking forward to delivering exciting sport at the same level of excellence.”

The qualification systems for the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games were just discussed at the recent FEI Sports Forum in Lausanne, Switzerland, on March 31 and April 1. The resulting proposals by the FEI General Assembly will be put forward to the IOC for discussion, and hopefully approval, later this year. A summary of FEI Sports Forum discussions, and the presentation made during the session dedicated to the LA28 Olympic qualification systems, are available here.

In 2026, the FEI will discuss and put forward to the IOC the rules for equestrian sports at the LA28 Games. Any day now, the IOC should confirm the equestrian venue for LA28. The Galway Downs facility just outside Temecula, Calif., and an equestrian venue in Moor Park, Calif., are being considered.

Similar confirmation announcements will be forthcoming for the LA28 Paralympics soon. The dates for the LA28 Paralympic Games will be August 15 to August 27, 2028.

Key Olympic Facts & Figures From The FEI

Equestrian will be one of the 31 sports on the program of the LA28 Olympic Games. The six medal equestrian events (3 team and 3 individual competitions, one for each sport) will be part of the 25 mixed events across all sports and the 351 events overall in LA28.

The LA28 program maintains the core athlete quota of 10,500, with an extra 698 allocated for the five new sports proposed by the LA28 Organizing Committee (baseball/softball, cricket, flag football, lacrosse, and squash).

A record-breaking 50 nations participated in equestrian at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. The number of nations at Paris 2024 was 49. The number of nations competing in equestrian in Los Angeles in 1984 was 30.

Equestrian sport is the only Olympic sport in which men and women compete as equals from grass roots all the way up to Olympic level.

With the completion of the 2028 Games, Los Angeles will have hosted the Olympics three times (1932, 1984, 2028). The only other three-time hosts are Paris (1900, 1924 and 2024) and London (1908, 1948 and 2012).

More Information on the LA28 Olympics

◆ LA 2028 Official Site

◆ Ticket Information

◆ FEI Olympic Games Page

◆ IOC LA 2028 Page

This article about equestrian sport at the LA 2028 Olympic Games is a web exclusive for Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

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The USA’s Para Dressage Team arrived in France on a mission that was about a decade in the making―to earn team gold and respect for their accomplishments at the Paris 2024 Paralympics. They came into the Games ranked number one in the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) world standings, and undefeated in international team competition in 2024. Yet, the international press wasn’t quite as on board as they could have been in touting the U.S. Team’s accomplishments to that point.

After four days of intense competition against the best in the world the first week of September, the four U.S. riders came away with the full gamut of Paralympic medals: team gold and six individual medals (four gold, one silver and one bronze). This was the first-ever team gold medal and only the second Paralympics equestrian team medal for U.S. Para Dressage (they won team bronze in Tokyo). They also earned a Paralympic record high score in the team competition in France, 235.567 (team scores are determined by adding their three riders’ scores together; U.S. riders earned 77.000, 80.000 and 78.567).

Not only that, but they won more Paralympic medals at one event than the U.S. Para Equestrian Team had ever won before (seven). This easily topped the USA’s medal counts from previous Games. Before 2024, the USA had won three Paralympic equestrian medals each in Atlanta in 1996 (three individual) and Tokyo in 2021 (one team and two individual).

Suddenly, the U.S. Team was no longer flying under the recognition radar. Everyone was aware of what their Chef d’Equipe and Technical Advisor Michel Assouline already knew months before, “This is the completion of a long-time, well-planned dream, going back to Tryon 2018 [World Equestrian Games], where we started to actually make changes. In Tokyo, when we won bronze, I had a clear plan and strategy in place and in my mind, to earn that team medal. I just knew it had to be gold in Paris for us.”

“It has been three years of very hard work, planning, logistics, competition strategies, both for Europe and in the U.S.,” he continued, “The horsepower, the coaches, and the whole program, had to be revamped to get to this point. It’s a funny thing to think―it’s what I expected―but you never want to talk about it openly. I had it in mind that this was our goal and here we are. This feels like such an amazing accomplishment for everyone who has been involved with this program over the years.”

Meet the U.S. Riders

Para riders are officially classified into one of five ability grades before they compete, with Grade V being the most able-bodied and Grade I the least. Each team had to have at least one rider from Grades I, II or III and no team could have more than two from any one grade. Riders representing the USA were:

◆ Grade I, Roxanne Trunnell, 39, (Royal Palm Beach, Fla.) and Fan Tastico H, a 2017 Oldenburg gelding (Fuersentaball OLD x Weltmeyer) owned by Karin Flint and cared for by Rafael Hernandez-Carillo

◆ Grade II, Fiona Howard, 25, (Boston, Mass.) and Diamond Dunes, a 2013 Hanoverian gelding (De L’Or x Wolkentanz) owned by Dressage Family LLC and Hof Kasselmann and cared for by Helen Claire McNulty

◆ Grade III, Rebecca Hart, 39, (Loxahatchee, Fla.) and Floratina, a 2008 Hanoverian mare owned by Rowan O’Riley and cared for by Mackenzie Young

◆ Grade IV, Kate Shoemaker, 37, (Wellington, Fla.) and Vianne, a 2016 American-bred Hanoverian mare (Vitalis x Ramiro’s Bube) owned by Nocordia USA and cared for by Katherine Barrett

The USA had no riders in Grade V. Find more information about the U.S. Para Dressage Team riders, horses and staff here.

In addition to Assouline, the U.S. Para Dressage Team was supported at the Paris 2024 Paralympics by Team Leader Laureen Johnson, Team Veterinarian Dr. Kim Snyder, Human Physiotherapist Joanne Frantz, and Personal Care Assistant Tina Wentz. Additional officers and staff from the United States Equestrian Federation present at the Paris 2024 equestrian venue included President Tom O’Mara, Director of FEI/High Performance Sport Hallye Griffin, Senior Director Social Media & Sport Communications Carly Weilminster and Digital Content Manager Devyn Trethewey. And the riders were cheered on by a large contingent of their coaches, family and friends, and horse owners, as well as U.S. Paralympians from other sports. Vianne’s (Shoemaker’s horse) breeder Catherine Haddad Staller was also in the audience.

Venue and Schedule

The Paris 2024 Paralympic equestrian venue was the same as for the Olympic Games, the beautiful and historic Palace of Versailles about 15 miles southwest of the center of Paris. The Palace and Grand Canal served as a backdrop to the competition going on in the arena, and the riders were in awe of performing in such an iconic place.

“I had to take a couple of days to get used to this venue. It is such a surreal experience to ride into this venue with so much history and the majesty of this arena,” said Hart, who rode Floratina to two individual gold medals and as part of the gold-medal U.S. Team.

A first horse inspection of the para dressage horses on September 2 was followed by two days of individual competition, with Grades I, II and III competing for medals on September 3 and Grades IV and V on September 4. Then, there was a rest day on September 5, followed by the para dressage team competition on September 6. The final day, September 7, was reserved for a second horse inspection, then the top eight riders from each grade performed their musical freestyles to determine a final set of individual medals.

U.S. Rider Performance Synopses

It should be noted when considering the U.S. Team’s remarkable success in 2024 that all four riders were mounted on horses relatively new to them. Hart had been paired with Floratina the longest, around 15 months. Shoemaker and Vianne had debuted together internationally in February 2024, while Howard and Trunnell first competed their mounts, Diamond Dunes and Fan Tastico H, internationally in March 2024. The young ages of two of the U.S. horses, Fan Tastico H (7) and Vianne (8), also make the performances of the U.S. riders all the more impressive.

Roxanne Trunnell and Fan Tastico H (Grade I)

At this year’s Paralympics, the USA’s Trunnell and “Fanta” finished in the silver position (78.000) in the Grade I Individual Test on the first day of competition, which also qualified them to compete in the freestyle on the final day. Then, the pair laid down a solid trip in the Grade I Team Test (77.000, second best score in that class) to help the U.S. Team win gold. Finally, in their Grade I Freestyle, ridden to the music of The Lion King, they scored 77.307 for fifth place, just 0.44 percent out of bronze. Trunnell holds a Masters in psychology with a focus in equine-assisted psychotherapy.

Trunnell, a native of Richland, Wash. who was competing in her third Paralympics, spoke after the team competition about her young horse and what the guidance of Assouline has meant to the U.S. Team, “I just really concentrated on him marching [during the test]. He’s so cool at only seven; it’s just going to get better and better. I think it’s all Michel. He got us in shape. He’s very strict. I think all his experience has helped us.”

Fiona Howard and Diamond Dunes (Grade II)

Howard, who made her Olympic debut in France, and “Dunes” topped all three classes in Grade II for the USA, earning three personal bests in the process. They won gold in the Individual Test (76.931), gold in the Freestyle (81.994) ridden to music from Avatar, and helped their team to gold with 80.000 (the highest mark in the Team Test in any grade). Howard grew up in Great Britain, but lives full-time in the USA now. Her mother is American and her father British, so she holds dual citizenships. Howard studied at Northeastern University in Boston, Mass. Before focusing on dressage, Howard competed in para reining.

Crediting her horse as a great partner in every interview throughout the week, Howard gave him credit for knowing his job well and helping her every time they performed. She also reflected on how much the people and horses in her life have helped her through difficult times. “When I was in the hospital, I didn’t really know what my life was going to look like. I was alive, but I wasn’t actually living a life. So, I just kind of took it one day at a time, and people believed in me. My doctors believed in me; my support team here believed in me. I have to give a lot of credit to the people around me, because I wouldn’t be here without them. Horses have been a reason to just keep going. They’re always there for you. Every morning, I wake up and I’m grateful to be around them. Every moment I spend with them just kind of inspires me to keep going.”

Rebecca Hart and Floratina (Grade III)

In Grade III, the USA’s gold streak continued with Hart, a five-time Paralympian, and “Flora” winning their Individual Test (77.900, a personal best). And, they sealed the deal for the U.S. Team’s gold, scoring 78.567 (another personal best) to achieve the needed points to boost the USA past the Netherlands for the win. Hart, who majored in business in college, is originally from Erie, Pa. She’s worked as a barista for Starbucks for a number of years.

Hart and Floratina also won gold in their Freestyle (83.534, a personal best), performing to soundtrack from Driving Miss Daisy. Hart said they had one tense moment as they warmed up around the outside of the dressage arena right before their Grade III Freestyle Test. The mare spooked at something and broke into a canter moments before they turned to enter at A, but they rallied to win the class.

“That was so wonderful. I was a little concerned when we started cantering [in the warm-up], but I was like ‘she will come back to me, she always does,’” shared Hart after their test, “It’s just electric [in the arena]. I told her she was fine. She went ‘are we OK?’ and I said ‘yes, we’re fine’ and she said, ‘OK, I trust you.’ It was such a magical moment. I got her back under control and gave her a pat. I told her she was a good girl, and I could feel her take a breath. Then, we hit the markers the way we needed to.”

Kate Shoemaker and Vianne (Grade IV)

Riding as an individual for the USA, Shoemaker, who grew up in Eagle, Idaho, was competing in her second Paralympic Games. She and Vianne came into the Games having never finished lower than third in their brief international career together. But an uncharacteristic spook during a movement which is scored double put them in fifth in the Paralympic Grade IV Individual Test (72.222). The rest of their Individual Test scored very well, however, and they qualified to move on to the Grade IV Freestyle on the last day. Riding to the music of Forrest Gump in their Freestyle, they danced together beautifully to earn a personal best score and the bronze medal (80.170). Shoemaker is a veterinarian with an equine sports medicine practice in Wellington, Fla.

Shoemaker was beaming after her freestyle ride on Vianne, “I could not keep the smile off my face. From the moment after the first halt, I was just like, ‘I’m here, with my favorite horse in the world,’ and the feeling, she just gave me so much joy. I have always felt so much emotion surrounding the music from Forrest Gump, but also the movie. The movie’s all about overcoming, and keeping going, and getting to something. I think that’s what our freestyle did today. It was overcoming, and getting to the end―to the joy and the peace―that’s where we were at today. I really hope that the music just spoke to everybody, and they could feel that it was coming from our souls.”

Other Paris 2024 Para Dressage Winners

In addition to the double-gold rides of Howard and Hart from the USA, there were standout performances by these riders who earned both individual and freestyle gold and scored over 80 in their freestyles: Rihards Snikus and King of the Dance, Latvia, Grade I; Demi Haerkens and Daula, the Netherlands, Grade IV, and Michele George and Best of 8, Belgium, Grade V.

Team silver went to the Netherlands (232.850) and team bronze to Germany (223.751). Find a full list of medal winners from the Paris 2024 Para Dressage competition here.

On To Los Angeles

The Olympics and Paralympics move on in four years’ time to Los Angeles, Calif., USA. This will be the third time for LA to host the Olympics (they also staged the Games in 1932 and 1984), but the first time for them to host the Paralympics (the 1984 Paralympics were held jointly by Stoke Mandeville in Great Britain and at two facilities on Long Island, N.Y., USA).

The 2028 LA Olympic Games will run July 14-30 and the Paralympic Games August 15-27. The LA 2028 equestrian events are likely to be at Galway Downs in Temecula, about 85 miles south of the center of LA. The International Olympic Committee and FEI have yet to confirm that all four equestrian sports (dressage, eventing, jumping, para dressage) will be included in LA 2028, so fingers crossed. To keep up with news of LA 2028, sign up for their newsletter here.

Rewind and Celebrate Again

After the U.S. Team’s gold-medal win, Hart shared her hopes for the impact the team’s success might have on the future of para equestrian sport in America and worldwide. “It was the culmination of years and years and years of work. I am so wildly proud of all these girls, because it’s been a group effort to get this done. It wouldn’t have happened without each one of us putting our best foot forward out there. What I’m really, really hoping is that this success, and these medals, bring para recognition and equality of the multiple disciplines within our federations. And, the realization that we are valuable, and we can deliver when we need to. I think that will help just grow the sport more, bring in more sponsors and horses and people. That is what I’m hoping for looking towards the future.”

Want to re-live the success of the U.S. Para Dressage Team at the Paris 2024 Paralympics or catch up on news of any equestrian action that you missed? Visit our Paralympics main page to find all of the news.

In mid-September, NBC reported an unprecedented increase in viewing of the 2024 Paris Paralympics over previous Games with overall viewing up 31-percent across all of their platforms (television broadcasts and livestreaming) from Tokyo three years earlier. Equestrian sports were mainly livestreamed on Peacock, and again, the 2024 Paralympics set records for views, with livestreams 11 times more than those of Tokyo in 2021. Replays of the Paris 2024 Paralympic equestrian competition may be viewed by subscribing to Peacock; for more information, head here.

For a complete synopsis of all the entry lists, officials, rules, schedule and results of the Paris 2024 Paralympics equestrian competition check out the Para Equestrian Sports Book.

Support the U.S. Equestrian Team in future competition by going to the United States Equestrian Team Foundation’s website to learn more.

Thanks to CareCredit for our spring and summer equestrian coverage.

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A day after winning Team Gold, the U.S. Para Dressage Team added more medals to the count during Individual Freestyle competition on the final day of para equestrian events at the Paris 2024 Paralympics. See the results of each grade level below.

Grade IV: USA’s Kate Shoemaker and Vianne Bronze

The USA’s Kate Shoemaker and Norcordia USA’s Vianne, an 8-year-old Hanoverian mare (Vitalis x Ramiro’s Bube), garnered para dressage individual freestyle bronze today in Grade IV at the 2024 Paralympic Games equestrian venue at the Château de Versailles. They scored 80.170% in a gorgeous performance to the music of Forrest Gump. Vianne’s groom is Katherine Barrett.

Kate Shoemaker was full of emotion as she talked about her freestyle performance with Vianne today, “I could not keep the smile off my face. From the moment after the first halt, I was just like, ‘I’m here with my favorite horse in the world’ and I was overcome with so much joy and this peace. It was an answered prayer this morning. I just asked for peace and I feel like it was really a God-filled ride for me today.”

She said that nerves were an issue until she and Vianne arrived in the warm-up and then she was fine. “I was so nervous before my ride, probably the most nervous I’ve ever been. Because of not having had the opportunity to be on the team this week, which honestly was my goal coming into these Games. I’m so proud of them that they got it [the gold medal] done. But, it left me with this feeling that today was my last shot for these Games.”

Grade IV gold went Demi Haerkens and Daula from the Netherlands (83.390%). Silver to Germany’s Anna-Lena Niehues and Quimbaya 6 from Germany (80.900%).

View the full Grade IV Individual Freestyle Para Dressage results here.

Grade V: Michèle George (BEL) Wins Seventh Paralympic Title

Michèle George and Best of 8 grabbed another individual gold medal today in the para dressage Grade V Freestyle class here that the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games. They also won individual gold for their performance on September 4. Their freestyle score today was 81.470%. Best of 8 is a 14-year-old Hanoverian mare by Bonifatius. She is owned by Camille Vangheluwe and Wendy Laeremans and groomed by Vangheluwe.

This is George’s seventh Paralympic gold medal, and eighth Paralympic medal in total.

Germany’s Regine Mispelkamp and Highlander Delight’s captured silver (80.100%) and Sophie Wells (GBR) and LJT Egebjerggards Samoa finished in bronze position (75.445%).

View the full results of Grade V Individual Freestyle Para Dressage here.

Grade I: USA’s Roxanne Trunnell and Fan Tastico H Fifth

Roxanne Trunnell (USA) and Karin Flint’s Fan Tastico H competed today in the Grade I Freestyle Para Dressage at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, finishing fifth on 77.307%. They performed to the music of The Lion King. Fan Tastico H is a 7-year-old Oldenburg gelding (Fuersentaball OLD x Weltmeyer). He is cared for by Rafael Hernandez-Carillo.

Trunnell’s parents, sister and Fanta’s owner Flint were all here to support her as she won Grade I Individual silver and was part of the gold-medal-winning U.S. team earlier this week. Her new puppy, a Chinese Crested named Obi-Wan, was also here in France with her, but did not make a public appearance. (Trunnell says Obi-Wan will make his debut at another show in the future.)

Roxanne Trunnell talked about her favorite point in their freestyle test today and what the experience has been like for her in France, “I liked his serpentines today, he really seemed to loosen up in those. It wasn’t his best test today, but he really tried. It’s been really great being here. My dad, mother, sister, and Fantastic’s owner, Karin Flint, are all here to support me.”

Taking the gold medal in Grade I Freestyle was Latvia’s Rihards Snikus riding the amazingly consistent and kind horse, King of the Dance. They scored a decisive 82.487%, riding to upbeat Latin music. This was Snikus’s second gold medal of the week since he also captured the Grade I Individual on September 3.

Sara Morganti from Italy won silver with Mariebelle (81.407%). Great Britain’s Mari Durward-Akhurst riding Athena Lindebjerg finished with the bronze (77.747%).

View the full Grade I Individual Freestyle Para Dressage results here.

Grade II: USA’s Fiona Howard & Diamond Dunes Gold Again

The USA’s Fiona Howard and Diamond Dunes, going next to last, in the Grade II Freestyle order this afternoon laid down another dominate gold-medal performance at the Paris 2024 Paralympics. They glided around the arena to the soundtrack from Avatar to wow the judges and the audience. Their score, 81.994%, was another personal-best performance for Howard.

Diamond Dunes is an 11-year-old Hanoverian gelding (De L’Or x Wibella) owned by Dressage Family LLC and Hof Kasselmann, and cared for by Helen Claire McNulty. Howard said her parents, two sisters, and a large group of friends are here in France to cheer her on.

After winning gold in the Grade II Freestyle and posting another personal-best score, Howard spoke about her horse and her goals coming doing into the Paralympics, “My horse felt really great! This is the last day, so you have to dig a little deeper; by this point my muscles are definitely tired. But, I have such a great partner in Diamond Dunes. He really knows his job. He went out there, and again, gave me everything like he did the past two days. Whatever the results, I’m so proud of him. I couldn’t have asked him for any more. It was my first Paralympics, so I really came into it just wanting to do my best, and if I could help out the team, I really wanted to do that. So, this has kind of gone above my expectations.”

Great Britain’s Georgia Wilson came back today fighting after the disappointment of Team GB not winning a team medal yesterday. She and Sakura scored 79.374% to win silver. Germany’s Heidemarie Dresing and Dooloop turned in a nice performance, too, winning bronze on 76.127%.

View the full Grade II Individual Freestyle Para Dressage results here.

Grade III: Rebecca Hart and Floratina Gold Again

It was gold yet again for Rebecca Hart and Floratina in their final time in the picturesque stadium at the Château de Versailles, this time for their Grade III Freestyle, dancing to the music from the movie Driving Miss Daisy. And, boy did they ever dance, earning a 83.534% to close out an amazing success story for the U.S. Equestrian Team here at the 2024 Paris Paralympics.

Hart’s equine partner Floratina is a 16-year-old Hanoverian mare (Fidertanz 2 x Rubin Royal OLD) owned by Rowan O’Riley and cared for by Mackenzie Young. As they entered the arena and started to warm up around the outside, “Flora” broke into a bit of a spooked canter for three or so strides, but Hart calmed her quickly before they entered the ring to perform beautifully.

Hart shared praise for her horse and all who helped her in preparing to compete after their Freestyle Test. “That was so wonderful. I was a little concerned when we started cantering [around the outside of the competition arena during the pre-test warm-up]. I thought, ‘she’ll come back to me, she always does.’ It was just electric [in the stadium] and she’d been hearing all the crowds from the warm-ups. She [Flora] said, ‘Okay, I trust you.’ It was such a magical moment. Then, we hit the markers the way we needed to. I can’t thank everyone enough for this incredible week. Everyone behind the scenes―the grooms, horse owners, sponsors, Marlene Whitaker who created that freestyle for me. I just love Driving Miss Daisy!”

Performing two rides before Hart and Flora, the Netherlands’ Rixt van der Horst and Royal Fonq also scored above 83% (83.007) for silver. Great Britain’s Natasha Baker and Dawn Chorus earned bronze with 77.140%.

View the full Grade III Individual Freestyle Para Dressage results here.

Paris 2024 Individual Freestyle Para Dressage Results

◆ Grade IV
◆ Grade V
◆ Grade I
◆ Grade II
◆ Grade III

Watch all of the Paris 2024 para equestrian action livestreamed or played back on demand (subscription required). For more information, go to NBCOlympics.com. For more coverage, visit our Paris 2024 Paralympics main page.

Thanks to CareCredit for our spring and summer equestrian coverage.

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It was gold yet again for Rebecca Hart and Floratina in their final time in the picturesque stadium at the Château de Versailles, this time for their Grade III Freestyle, dancing to the music from the movie Driving Miss Daisy. And, boy did they ever dance, earning a 83.534% to close out an amazing success story for the U.S. Equestrian Team here at the 2024 Paris Paralympics.

Hart’s equine partner Floratina is a 16-year-old Hanoverian mare (Fidertanz 2 x Rubin Royal OLD) owned by Rowan O’Riley and cared for by Mackenzie Young. As they entered the arena and started to warm up around the outside, “Flora” broke into a bit of a spooked canter for three or so strides, but Hart calmed her quickly before they entered the ring to perform beautifully.

Hart shared praise for her horse and all who helped her in preparing to compete after their Freestyle Test. “That was so wonderful. I was a little concerned when we started cantering [around the outside of the competition arena during the pre-test warm-up]. I thought, ‘she’ll come back to me, she always does.’ It was just electric [in the stadium] and she’d been hearing all the crowds from the warm-ups. She [Flora] said, ‘Okay, I trust you.’ It was such a magical moment. Then, we hit the markers the way we needed to. I can’t thank everyone enough for this incredible week. Everyone behind the scenes―the grooms, horse owners, sponsors, Marlene Whitaker who created that freestyle for me. I just love Driving Miss Daisy!”

Performing two rides before Hart and Flora, the Netherlands’ Rixt van der Horst and Royal Fonq also scored above 83% (83.007) for silver. Great Britain’s Natasha Baker and Dawn Chorus earned bronze with 77.140%.

View the full Grade III Individual Freestyle Para Dressage results here.

Watch all of the Paris 2024 para equestrian action livestreamed or played back on demand (subscription required). For more information, go to NBCOlympics.com. For more coverage, visit our Paris 2024 Paralympics main page.

Thanks to CareCredit for our spring and summer equestrian coverage.

The post 2024 Paris Paralympics: Rebecca Hart and Floratina Gold in Grade III Freestyle appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

The USA’s Fiona Howard and Diamond Dunes, going next to last, in the Grade II Freestyle order this afternoon laid down another dominate gold-medal performance at the Paris 2024 Paralympics. They glided around the arena to the soundtrack from Avatar to wow the judges and the audience. Their score, 81.994%, was another personal-best performance for Howard.

Diamond Dunes is an 11-year-old Hanoverian gelding (De L’Or x Wolkentanz) owned by Dressage Family LLC and Hof Kasselmann, and cared for by Helen Claire McNulty. Howard said her parents, two sisters, and a large group of friends are here in France to cheer her on.

After winning gold in the Grade II Freestyle and posting another personal-best score, Howard spoke about her horse and her goals coming doing into the Paralympics, “My horse felt really great! This is the last day, so you have to dig a little deeper; by this point my muscles are definitely tired. But, I have such a great partner in Diamond Dunes. He really knows his job. He went out there, and again, gave me everything like he did the past two days. Whatever the results, I’m so proud of him. I couldn’t have asked him for any more. It was my first Paralympics, so I really came into it just wanting to do my best, and if I could help out the team, I really wanted to do that. So, this has kind of gone above my expectations.”

Great Britain’s Georgia Wilson came back today fighting after the disappointment of Team GB not winning a team medal yesterday. She and Sakura scored 79.374% to win silver. Germany’s Heidemarie Dresing and Dooloop turned in a nice performance, too, winning bronze on 76.127%.

View the full Grade II Individual Freestyle Para Dressage results here.

Watch all of the Paris 2024 para equestrian action livestreamed or played back on demand (subscription required). For more information, go to NBCOlympics.com. For more coverage, visit our Paris 2024 Paralympics main page.

Thanks to CareCredit for our spring and summer equestrian coverage.

The post 2024 Paris Paralympics: USA’s Fiona Howard & Diamond Dunes Gold Again in Para Dressage Grade II Freestyle appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

Roxanne Trunnell (USA) and Karin Flint’s Fan Tastico H competed today in the Grade I Freestyle Para Dressage at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, finishing fifth on 77.307%. They performed to the music of The Lion King. Fan Tastico H is a 7-year-old Oldenburg gelding (Fuersentaball OLD x Weltmeyer). He is cared for by Rafael Hernandez-Carillo.

Trunnell’s parents, sister and Fanta’s owner Flint were all here to support her as she won Grade I Individual silver and was part of the gold-medal-winning U.S. team earlier this week. Her new puppy, a Chinese Crested named Obi-Wan, was also here in France with her, but did not make a public appearance. (Trunnell says Obi-Wan will make his debut at another show in the future.)

Roxanne Trunnell talked about her favorite point in their freestyle test today and what the experience has been like for her in France, “I liked his serpentines today, he really seemed to loosen up in those. It wasn’t his best test today, but he really tried. It’s been really great being here. My dad, mother, sister, and Fantastic’s owner, Karin Flint, are all here to support me.”

Taking the gold medal in Grade I Freestyle was Latvia’s Rihards Snikus riding the amazingly consistent and kind horse, King of the Dance. They scored a decisive 82.487%, riding to upbeat Latin music. This was Snikus’s second gold medal of the week since he also captured the Grade I Individual on September 3.

Sara Morganti from Italy won silver with Mariebelle (81.407%). Great Britain’s Mari Durward-Akhurst riding Athena Lindebjerg finished with the bronze (77.747%).

View the full Grade I Individual Freestyle Para Dressage results here.

Watch all of the Paris 2024 para equestrian action livestreamed or played back on demand (subscription required). For more information, go to NBCOlympics.com. For more coverage, visit our Paris 2024 Paralympics main page.

Thanks to CareCredit for our spring and summer equestrian coverage.

The post 2024 Paris Paralympics: USA’s Roxanne Trunnell and Fan Tastico H Fifth in Para Dressage Grade I Freestyle appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

Michèle George and Best of 8 grabbed another individual gold medal today in the para dressage Grade V Freestyle class here that the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games. They also won individual gold for their performance on September 4. Their freestyle score today was 81.470%. Best of 8 is a 14-year-old Hanoverian mare by Bonifatius. She is owned by Camille Vangheluwe and Wendy Laeremans and groomed by Vangheluwe.

This is George’s seventh Paralympic gold medal, and eighth Paralympic medal in total.

Germany’s Regine Mispelkamp and Highlander Delight’s captured silver (80.100%) and Sophie Wells (GBR) and LJT Egebjerggards Samoa finished in bronze position (75.445%).

View the full results of Grade V Individual Freestyle Para Dressage here.

Watch all of the Paris 2024 para equestrian action livestreamed or played back on demand (subscription required). For more information, go to NBCOlympics.com. For more coverage, visit our Paris 2024 Paralympics main page.

Thanks to CareCredit for our spring and summer equestrian coverage.

The post 2024 Paris Paralympics: Michèle George (BEL) Wins Seventh Paralympic Title appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

The USA’s Kate Shoemaker and Norcordia USA’s Vianne, an 8-year-old Hanoverian mare (Vitalis x Ramiro’s Bube), garnered para dressage individual freestyle bronze today in Grade IV at the 2024 Paralympic Games equestrian venue at the Château de Versailles. They scored 80.170% in a gorgeous performance to the music of Forrest Gump. Vianne’s groom is Katherine Barrett.

Kate Shoemaker was full of emotion as she talked about her freestyle performance with Vianne today, “I could not keep the smile off my face. From the moment after the first halt, I was just like, ‘I’m here with my favorite horse in the world’ and I was overcome with so much joy and this peace. It was an answered prayer this morning. I just asked for peace and I feel like it was really a God-filled ride for me today.”

She said that nerves were an issue until she and Vianne arrived in the warm-up and then she was fine. “I was so nervous before my ride, probably the most nervous I’ve ever been. Because of not having had the opportunity to be on the team this week, which honestly was my goal coming into these Games. I’m so proud of them that they got it [the gold medal] done. But, it left me with this feeling that today was my last shot for these Games.”

Grade IV gold went Demi Haerkens and Daula from the Netherlands (83.390%). Silver to Germany’s Anna-Lena Niehues and Quimbaya 6 from Germany (80.900%).

View the full Grade IV Individual Freestyle Para Dressage results here.

Watch all of the Paris 2024 para equestrian action livestreamed or played back on demand (subscription required). For more information, go to NBCOlympics.com. For more coverage, visit our Paris 2024 Paralympics main page.

Thanks to CareCredit for our spring and summer equestrian coverage.

The post 2024 Paris Paralympics: USA’s Kate Shoemaker and Vianne Bronze in Grade IV Individual Freestyle Para Dressage appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

Check out Horse Illustrated’s latest updates from the 2024 Paris Paralympics in the equestrian sport of para dressage. 

U.S. Paralympic Equestrian Team

◆ U.S. Paralympic Equestrian Team

Latest News

Record-Setting Performance by U.S. Para Dressage Team

The USA’s Para Dressage Team arrived in France on a mission that was about a decade in the making―to earn team gold and respect for their accomplishments at the Paris 2024 Paralympics. They came into the Games ranked number one in the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) world standings, and undefeated in international team competition in 2024. Yet, the international press wasn’t quite as on board as they could have been in touting the U.S. Team’s accomplishments to that point.

After four days of intense competition against the best in the world the first week of September, the four U.S. riders came away with the full gamut of Paralympic medals: team gold and six individual medals (four gold, one silver and one bronze). This was the first-ever team gold medal and only the second Paralympics equestrian team medal for U.S. Para Dressage (they won team bronze in Tokyo). They also earned a Paralympic record high score in the team competition in France, 235.567.

Read more >>

U.S. Horses and Riders Add to Medal Haul on Freestyle Day

A day after winning Team Gold, the U.S. Para Dressage Team added more medals to the count during Individual Freestyle competition on the final day of para equestrian events at the Paris 2024 Paralympics. Check here to see the results of each grade level in Individual Freestyle Pra Dressage.

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Rebecca Hart and Floratina Gold in Grade III Freestyle

It was gold yet again for Rebecca Hart and Floratina in their final time in the picturesque stadium at the Château de Versailles, this time for their Grade III Freestyle, dancing to the music from the movie Driving Miss Daisy. And, boy did they ever dance, earning a 83.534% to close out an amazing success story for the U.S. Equestrian Team here at the 2024 Paris Paralympics.

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USA’s Fiona Howard & Diamond Dunes Gold Again in Para Dressage Grade II Freestyle

The USA’s Fiona Howard and Diamond Dunes, going next to last, in the Grade II Freestyle order this afternoon laid down another dominate gold-medal performance at the Paris 2024 Paralympics. They glided around the arena to the soundtrack from Avatar to wow the judges and the audience. Their score, 81.994%, was another personal-best performance for Howard.

Read more >>

USA’s Roxanne Trunnell and Fan Tastico H Fifth in Para Dressage Grade I Freestyle

Roxanne Trunnell (USA) and Karin Flint’s Fan Tastico H competed today in the Grade I Freestyle Para Dressage at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, finishing fifth on 77.307%. They performed to the music of The Lion King. Fan Tastico H is a 7-year-old Oldenburg gelding (Fuersentaball OLD x Weltmeyer). He is cared for by Rafael Hernandez-Carillo.

Taking the gold medal in Grade I Freestyle was Latvia’s Rihards Snikus riding the amazingly consistent and kind horse, King of the Dance. They scored a decisive 82.487%, riding to upbeat Latin music. This was Snikus’s second gold medal of the week since he also captured the Grade I Individual on September 3.

Read more >>

Michèle George (BEL) Wins Seventh Paralympic Title

Michèle George and Best of 8 grabbed another individual gold medal today in the para dressage Grade V Freestyle class here that the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games. They also won individual gold for their performance on September 4. Their freestyle score today was 81.470%. Best of 8 is a 14-year-old Hanoverian mare by Bonifatius. She is owned by Camille Vangheluwe and Wendy Laeremans and groomed by Vangheluwe.

This is George’s seventh Paralympic gold medal, and eighth Paralympic medal in total.

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USA’s Kate Shoemaker and Vianne Bronze in Grade IV Individual Freestyle Para Dressage

The USA’s Kate Shoemaker and Norcordia USA’s Vianne, an 8-year-old Hanoverian mare (Vitalis x Ramiro’s Bube), garnered para dressage individual freestyle bronze today in Grade IV at the 2024 Paralympic Games equestrian venue at the Château de Versailles. They scored 80.170% in a gorgeous performance to the music of Forrest Gump. Vianne’s groom is Katherine Barrett.

Grade IV gold went Demi Haerkens and Daula from the Netherlands (83.390%). Silver to Germany’s Anna-Lena Niehues and Quimbaya 6 from Germany (80.900%).

Read more >>

U.S. Para Dressage Captures Team Gold

Today was the Paris 2024 Paralympics para dressage team competition at Château de Versailles with 16 nations putting forward teams of three riders each in search of team medals. As the current world number-one ranked team, the pressure was really on the USA.

There was a lot on the line to prove their right to be top-tier. The three U.S. riders, surrounded by a super supportive entourage, simply brought it on―mic drop, the end, gold please!

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US Equestrian Announces Combinations to Contest Team Competition

US Equestrian has announced the horse and rider combinations selected to represent the U.S. in tomorrow’s para dressage team competition. They are as follows: Rebecca Hart and Floratina; Fiona Howard and Diamond Dunes; and Roxanne Trunnell and Fan Tastico H. Team competition for medals begins tomorrow, Friday, Sept. 6. at 9:30 a.m. GMT (3:30 a.m. U.S. ET) with Grade IV competition.

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Para Dressage Grade V Individual Test Results Summary

After the last Grade V horse and rider pair finished their final pass down centerline, the medals were awarded. Gold went to Belgium’s Michele George and Best of 8 (76.692%), silver to Germany’s Regine Mispelkamp and Highlander Delight’s (73.231%), and bronze to Great Britain’s Sophie Wells and LJT Egebjerggards Samoa (72.257%).

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USA’s Kate Shoemaker and Vianne 5th in Para Dressage Grade IV

Representing the United States, Kate Shoemaker and Vianne finished fifth in today’s Individual Grade IV Para Dressage, qualifying for Saturday’s Individual Freestyle Test. Tomorrow is a rest day for para equestrians, followed by Friday’s team competition.

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Heavy Medal Haul for USA on Para Dressage Day 1

The Paris 2024 Paralympics equestrian competition kicked off today at the beautiful and historic equestrian venue here at Château de Versailles in France. All three U.S. riders secured a medal, and also scored high enough to move on to Saturday’s (September 7) freestyle class.

Rebecca Hart and Floratina (Grade III) and Fiona Howard and Diamond Dunes (Grade II) took gold. Roxanne Trunnell and Fan Tastico H (Grade I) took silver.

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U.S. Paralympic Dressage Team Sets Competitive Tone on First Day of Individual Competition

The U.S. Paralympic Dressage Team completed a tremendous first day of competition to begin their campaign at the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games. Three combinations took to the main stadium to compete in their first tests of the competition, capturing three individual medals in their respective grades. Rebecca Hart aboard Floratina, and Fiona Howard with Diamond Dunes, both earned individual gold, while Roxanne Trunnell and Fan Tastico H finished with individual silver.

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Roxanne Trunnell and Fan Tastico H Capture Individual Silver in Grade I FEI Grand Prix Test A

Roxanne Trunnell (Royal Palm Beach, Fla.) and Fan Tastico H (Grade I) secured individual silver in their first test of the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games. Trunnell and Fan Tastico H, a 2017 Oldenburg gelding (Fuerstenball OLD x Weltmeyer) owned by Karin Flint, earned yet another personal best score for the United States, securing a 78.000% in FEI Grand Prix Test A for their first individual podium finish together as a combination. Paris 2024 is Trunnell’s third Paralympic Games representing the United States and was a double individual gold medalist from the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. More news to follow.

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Fiona Howard and Diamond Dunes Earn Individual Gold Medal in Grade II Grand Prix Test A

Fiona Howard (Boston, Mass.) and Diamond Dunes (Grade II) secured individual gold in their first test of the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games. Howard and Diamond Dunes, a 2013 Hanoverian gelding (De L’or x Wibella) owned by Dressage Family LLC and Hof Kasselman, earned a personal best score of 76.931% in FEI Grand Prix Test A for their first individual podium finish together as a combination. Paris 2024 is Howard’s first Paralympic Games representing the United States.

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Rebecca Hart Secures Individual Gold in Grade III Grand Prix Test A

Rebecca Hart (Wellington, Fla.) and Floratina (Grade III) secured individual gold in their first test of the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games. Hart and Floratina, a 2008 Hanoverian mare (Fidertanz x Rubina) owned by Rowan O’Riley, earned a personal best score of 77.900% in FEI Grand Prix Test A for their first individual podium finish together as a combination. Paris 2024 is Hart’s fifth Paralympic Games representing the United States and today’s gold medal marks the first individual Paralympic medal of her career.

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Paralympic equestrian stars all set to dance on Versailles stage

Established stars will seek to hold off the challenge of emerging athletes as Para Dressage makes its entrance to Paris 2024 at the spectacular Château de Versailles.

A total of 76 athletes from 30 nations will assemble for four days of competition spread across five days from Tuesday, 3 September to Saturday, 7 September.

The first two days will be Individual Medal Events in all five Grades.

All horses that were presented on Monday’s First Horse Inspection passed.

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Para Dressage Preview

Twenty-eight days after the close of the Olympic jumping, the Paris 2024 Paralympics equestrian competition begins at the Château de Versailles in France on September 2. Para dressage will take place in the same stadium as the three Olympic equestrian sports with a gorgeous view of the iconic Grand Canal and Palace in the background.

It will be exciting to witness performances from all of the athletes at the Paris 2024 Paralympic equestrian venue, but especially those of the strong contingent from the USA. The U.S. team won bronze in the Tokyo 2020/21 Paralympics, with U.S. Grade I rider Roxanne Trunnell, who is also on the team for Paris 2024, taking two gold medals (one each in the individual and freestyle competitions).

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US Equestrian Announces U.S. Paralympic Equestrian Team for Paris 2024 Paralympic Games

US Equestrian is pleased to announce the athlete-and-horse combinations selected to represent the United States as part of Team USA at the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games. Para-equestrian competition will begin on Tuesday, September 3, and continue through Saturday, September 7, hosted at the equestrian grounds of Versailles.

The team members are Rebecca Hart and Floratina, Fiona and Diamond Dunes, Kate Shoemaker and Vianne, Roxanne Trunnell and Fan Tastico H.

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US Equestrian Announces U.S. Olympic Dressage Team for Paris 2024 Olympic Games

US Equestrian is pleased to announce the 12 athlete-and-horse combinations selected to the U.S. Paralympic Dressage Team Short List ahead of the 2024 Paris Paralympics to be held in Versailles, France, from September 2-7, 2024. The team will be led by Chef d’Equipe Michel Assouline and Team Leader Laureen Johnson. The final team selection will be announced by the definite entry deadline of August 5, 2024.

Read more >>

Thanks to CareCredit for our spring and summer equestrian coverage.

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